MIDDLETOWN, Ind. — Another school district is back to e-learning after a rise in coronavirus cases and quarantines. And, it's just two weeks into their school year.
The Shenandoah Community School District's nearly 1,400 K-12 students returned to remote learning Monday after the director of the Henry County Health Department told district officials cases were headed in the wrong direction and becoming worrisome.
Health Director Angela Cox said nearly 20 percent of the students district-wide had tested positive for COVID-19 or were in quarantine, along with several staff members.
Monday the health department offered drive-thru rapid COVID-19 testing outside Shenandoah Elementary to all students, staff and their family members.
"What we're trying to do is test as many as possible so we can get on top of this, get it under control and the kids back in school," Cox said.
As of mid-afternoon, health officials had administered more than 200 tests. The uptick coincides with the delta variant becoming the dominant strain, a big concern.
"It's mutated, it's changed, it's stronger and more virulent and it is hitting our children," Cox said.
Cox said the health department hoped to offer remote testing at least through the end of the week and with help from the state health department.
Remote learning is expected to continue through Aug. 27 and longer, if the numbers don't decline.